Speech - 217 candidates; 130 passed - 60%

This speech by the chairman of Oxdown Samaritans offered good scope for reporters with about two years' experience and most responded well.

His theme was their desperate need for more volunteers and funds. Emotive phrases were available for strong, straightforward intros. Without more help, he warned, the Oxdown branch would have to close, adding: "This could mean the difference between life and death for some people. Our crisis is as serious as that."

He made it plain that because of the confidentiality of their service he could give no details of their calls. But there were enough facts and figures to provide a story of more than the 300 words required.

Among the statistics was a sentence which offered a different angle for a striking intro:
"We have become alarmed in Oxdown in the last two years over the number of young people who talk of killing themselves - 12 percent above the national average."

This passage, delivered at 90 words per minute compared with the average 100 wpm, proved to be an unexpected but serious hurdle.

Out of the total 217 candidates, 28 reported that the number of young people killing themselves was 12 percent above the national average. Even worse, 45 said Oxdown's suicide rate was 12 percent above average.

The speaker offered reasons why young people and also farmers might consider killing themselves but few candidates found space to explain them. The farmers' problems would have seemed particularly worth mentioning in the middle of a foot and mouth disease crisis.

A minor change in the marking system, set out at the start in the general instructions, limited to five the number of follow-up ideas required. As hoped, this produced more reasoned follow-ups.

Nevertheless, a few ignored the change and wasted valuable time in writing more than five, at the expense of improving their main report. The highest number suggested was 12. Similarly, one enthusiast produced a story of 521 words instead of the 300 requested.

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